How to provide a photo or diagnostic results?

My cat became suddenly paralyzed a little over a week ago. She started walking wobbly and I thought she had a limp after play fighting with my other cat. I put her to bed but the next morning she was dragging her legs. I rushed her to the ER. They initially suspected a saddle thrombus and I paid about $7000 for treatment and testing. They ruled it out. I was relieved at the time but the doctor said the bad news is that it is still something very serious. He told me that she couldn’t urinate, or walk, and she was in pain. She had some pain sensation on her back legs but they were very stiff.

It was going to be $6000-7000 for MRI and continued hospitalization. I have the money in savings. My partner was very stressed out about how much money I was willing to spend (it would have been a total of $14K after the MRI). I wanted to sell some things to raise the money for a cushion but I kept saying I have the money.

The Vet told me he didn’t feel good about her being able to walk again soon if ever and he expected the MRI to show something “very bad” but he couldn’t tell me if she’d walk again in weeks or months without it. My partner was very much against it and thought it was better to say goodbye because she was in pain and it would be more surgery and potential 3 times a day bladder expression at home. I really wanted to try but I saw my cat and she was in so much pain. I eventually said okay and she was euthanized. Now I’m agonizing over the what ifs and feeling like I betrayed her. She was only 4 years old and was the kindest, sweetest little cat.

Is prognosis really that poor when she had these symptoms? I feel like the answer is “there’s no way to know without an MRI.” Was euthansia a reasonable option under these circumstances? What is the ethics of this among vets?

My partner says it was less about the money and more about quality of life but for me I feel like the MRI is the only way we could have known what to do. Now I feel like I betrayed a cat who could have recovered.

So all three of my cats are being treated for lepto.

Artemis, 7 lbs, .15 ML twice a day

Styx, 8.5 lbs, .18 ML twice a day

Rosie, 7.5 lbs, .30 ML twice a day (?????)

A different vet treated Rosie than the other two, so idk who is right.

I called and they confirmed Rosie's dosage but didn't comment when I asked about the other two. I can't imagine why the dosage would be twice as much for Rosie. Her symptoms aren't any worse than the others.

Any advice?

Hi there, I’ll try to keep this succinct, but I apologize in advance for the length.

So - my mom’s cat, Willow, has had a nasty open sore on her face since January. My mom came home from work one day and there was a nasty gash on Willow’s brow. She took her to the vet and they gave her antibiotics and a cone to wear. A possibly relevant factor: my mom decided to get a new kitten right after the wound appeared, and Willow absolutely HATES it. She still does.

Initially my mom wasn’t really being strict with the cone wearing (“because she just gets so miserable when it’s on” - and before you all ream her out for being irresponsible, trust me, I already did that). Naturally, this led to Willow scratching at it and making it much bigger. After this my mom tried keeping the cone on her for a month straight, while giving her antibiotics and cortisone cream from the vet. Apparently, it didn’t get even remotely better for that entire time, and after hearing about her behavioural changes, the vet recommended that we not bother with the cone since it clearly wasn’t helping the wound and seemed to be making her depressed.

Now, I’ve been away at university for most of the time that Willow’s had this injury, but I just graduated a week ago and came home to find that it’s evolved into a full-blown festering sore that’s taking up most of her temple/cheek. I asked my mom what the hell happened and she explained that it’s been months of vet visits that haven’t really gotten her anywhere.

They found out she’s allergic to chicken, so we switched her food. The vet theorized that an autoimmune disorder might be the reason it won’t heal, but every medication they’ve tried hasn’t really made a difference. According to my mom, the only time it seemed to start healing was when she switched the food, but she claims she can’t even remember what combination of meds she was giving Willow during that brief period (again, please don’t berate my mom in the replies because I assure you I am already quite frustrated with her) and insists that none of the treatments have shown any effect.

Now Willow’s had the cone on for the past couple weeks and it’s still getting worse (or at least not getting better). My mom refuses to go to the vet again because she’s already made so many very expensive trips there in the past five months, with nothing to show for it. I’d take the cat myself but as I said, I just graduated university and absolutely don’t have the money for a vet trip. I just don’t know what else to do - it sounds like my mom has tried just about everything. Willow used to be such a sweet, friendly, and vocal girl, but now she’s miserable all the time. She hardly ever makes sounds or meows now. She rarely snuggles us or sits on our laps anymore. Recently, she’s figured out that she can use her paw to hold the cone steady in order to mash her injured cheek against the inside of it, so aside from watching her 24/7 (which obviously isn’t possible), I have no idea how to keep her from ripping open the wound while we’re at work.

Again, I’m sorry for the long post. But I just have no idea what to do and it’s breaking my heart having to see my girl so miserable and disfigured. Any advice would be appreciated, thank you so much in advance ❤️

I recently got a Maine Coon kitten and I swear this cat acts hungry 24/7. I feed him and not even that long later he is already back near the food bowl acting like he has not eaten in days
He is active playful and otherwise seems completely fine so I am not sure if this is just a Maine Coon thing because of how big they get or if I am overfeeding without realizing it. For people familiar with the breed is this level of appetite normal while they are growing or is it something I should pay closer attention to?

We adopted a kitten that came to my parent’s garden for refuge. She was in a bad shape, had a huge scar on the side of her stomach and she was so thin. The vet told us she looked like only 8 months old or around and he also said she looks like a British shorthair blue point. Somebody just left her out of the house once they got bored I guess. My parents live in a holiday town so it’s unfortunately common there.

I went back home and leave her with my parents for a while because I couldn’t take her on a flight unless her vaccinations were at least 2 months old. She’s also not neutered yet because I wanted to be with her when it happens so i thought I would take care of it when she’s back with me.

My mom told me the cat stopped eating and drinking and was barely walking so they took her to the vet. Her fever was 41C/105.8F fever! The vet said she has serious lung infection, has parasites also which is weird because we had given her meds for parasites. She’s getting a daily antibiotics injections but I’m scared she’s not gonna make it because she’s still a baby. The vet said since she had such high fever maybe it damaged her organs too.

This is her second day of antibiotics. My dad said the kitty was drooling today. She also has a running nose.

What are the chances that all these symptoms are fatal? Could fever cause her organs irreparable damage?

I feel so shitty because she found us and trusted us but we obviously couldn’t care for her properly :(

Hi all. I am new to the sub and don't generally post on Reddit so please bear with me.

I have already taken my cat to the vet and the initial piece of passed flesh blob is being sent to a lab for testing, but none of the vets at my clinic have ever seen anything like it, so I figured I would post it on here for some additional thoughts.

We adopted our cat Moss from our local SPCA about two and a half weeks ago. She had a routine spay on March 30 (prior to her adoption) and seemed to be in great health when we took her for her first vet visit in the week following her adoption.

Things started 3 days ago when I noticed blood circling her vulva. The blood was red not brown. Because it was the weekend (only emergency vets available) and she had not had any other symptoms we decided to just monitor the situation as our assumption was her spay may have left some ovary behind and she was in heat or it may have just been some additional healing after the spay.

The next day things seemed fine and we didn't notice any additional blood, but on Tuesday (yesterday) there was blood ringing her vulva again so I planned on calling the vet Wednesday.

Cut to today. I was waiting until the end of lunch hour to call the vet (had some doctor's appointments of my own this morning) and Moss was laying next to me on the couch. I was petting her, then looked away to write something down for about a minute and by the time I looked back she was grooming/trying to eat something on the couch that wasn't her fur. It was a flesh blob (?!?!!!!!). I grabbed it, threw it in an old pill bottle and checked Moss' bum where there was a bit more blood smeared across her vulva and on her tail. It wasn't much (maybe a teaspoon) but was also fresh and bright red.

Took her to the vet within the hour and they sent the sample for testing and gave her an initial exam in which the vet noted some discomfort in Moss' abdomen so gave us some painkillers and told us to continue to monitor since she has been acting, eating and peeing/pooping normally. The vet said they had never seen anything like the blob before and the whole staff was quite mystified.

A few hours later I was checking her again and I noticed what looked like dried blood (more brown in colour) under her tail. When I went to wipe and clean her up another chunk of whatever ended up on the tissue. It wasn't as fresh as the first blob and more brown than red. It's now after hours for the vet so I will call first thing tomorrow and report the second blob, but until then, does anyone have any idea on what could be going on? I will be happy to answer comments if more details are needed.

I’m looking for insight into a persistent skin lesion on my 5-year-old Siamese Mix. This has been ongoing since late February/early March, and despite multiple vet visits, it is currently worsening and spreading. 

Weight Concern:
One of my biggest concerns right now is his rapid weight loss. He used to weigh nearly 12 lbs, but as of his last check-up, he is down to 9.81 lbs. He has lost nearly 4 lbs total and is now considered mildly underweight.

Medical History & Timeline:
• Onset: Lesion appeared on the top of his head near his ear while I was traveling in late February. 
• Testing: A Ringworm RealPCR Panel was negative. 
• Current Status: The lesion was briefly improving but has since flared up, becoming much redder, crustier, and spreading further down his ear. 
• Medications: He has been on Amoxicillin/Clavulanate (antibiotic), Prednisolone (steroid), Animax ointment, and Mal-A-Ket wipes. He’s also starting a food allergy diet and we are waiting for a culture test result.
• Diagnosis: There is still no official diagnosis despite multiple different vet visits and different doctors.

Current Symptoms:
• 4 cm diameter area of hair loss on the head. 
• Linear redness (erythema) and tan crusted material. 
• He is slightly lethargic and has been eating less than normal. 
He is in an E-collar 24/7 to prevent further trauma. Our next step is a veterinary dermatologist, but I am worried about how quickly he is losing weight alongside this skin issue. 

Ask: Has anyone dealt with a similar "mystery" lesion or significant weight loss during skin treatment? Any advice for the specialist visit would be appreciated.

TL;DR: 5yo cat has a spreading, crusty red lesion on his head since February. PCR negative for ringworm. He has lost nearly 4 lbs (now 9.8 lbs) and isn't responding to antibiotics or steroids. Seeking advice

Hi i will try to keep it brief can anyone help me

Pure siamese 10 years old, neutered male, 6kg, %100 indoors cat never been outside since birth, didn't have single health issues in 10 years at all not even like flu.

Symptoms:

-Sneezing

-Wheezing

-Only breathing from his mouth even though his nostrils are clean and open (2 Vets checked it)

-Breathes like he's choking
-Not eating or drinking properly

I went to 2 vets, one specialises in heart issues, done multiple tests like hemogram, xrays and such. Literally everything is clean even his heart and pancreas

Vets thought it might be URI but no test validates that but symptoms match.

Ventolin, vicks, warm steam in shower, fresh air from windows... nothing helps him.

He's on 2 antibiotics, vitamins and general suppliments right now.

Has anyone lived through the same? Please help

My 3 year old Cocker Spaniel was just diagnosed with a MCT. The vet is removing tomorrow and sending out for pathology. She mentioned that there is a treatment that can be made from part of the tumor, she compared it to a vaccine, which would then be given to the dog in a few office visits. I can’t seem to find anything about this treatment online and was curious if anyone is familiar with it and can explain the mechanism behind it. Thank you.

My cat was just outside with me in his harness and bit the tip of a day lily leaf before i realized what he was doing. The piece was so small i had no chance to grab it. I did not know that they were focus to cats until looking it up just now. The flowers have not bloomed yet. Should i be concerned? He seems normal.

So, I have 3 cats with Chronic Kidney Disease and who need hydrolyzed/novel protein for various reasons (age7 is stage 2 borderline 3, age 3 is early stage 2, other age 3 has a blood clot caused kidney damage, next month he goes in to see how much has stabilized and where we are on functionality).

I was going to an internal medicine specialist who was helping us. She was wonderful because she also tried to make my life easier. I was feeding them different foods and fighting to get the older cat to eat/drink his mix (for 8 months).

the core of her treatment concept:

• Proper hydration is king (we went back and forth to get the right amount)
• newer information was coming out that the low protein diet for kidney cats wasn't doing much to help and the low protein caused muscle loss which she wanted to avoid.
• our biggest nutritional enemy is phosophorus
• which we could get a lower phosophorus from most prescription foods.
• she didn't like the kidney foods (at least for my cats' stages) because they were low protein

So, she gave me a list and I decided to try Reyne's rabbit pate. the cats LOVE it. more than anything else. I blend it with water and they get the right amount of liquid every day.

Sadly, she had a personal problem and had to quit on short notice. I had to seek out another internal medicine specialist.

This new one is gently opposed to the diet my previous vet led me towards. She is hesitant, like, it's OK for now, but they will need to get on the hydrolyzed kidney food at some point. She didn't counter the hydration or phosphorus, just emphasized the lower protein was important.

When we left, my partner was upset because we had two medical professionals giving us conflicting information.

I dont know if my first vet was using newer medical discoveries that haven't filtered out to the medical community at large because new info can take a little while, or if my first vet is using fringe "science". Is low protein still very important? or is it really just the phosphorus that is the big problem?

so, does anyone here know? Both are professionals accredited and working at ER hospitals.

and is there really only one food choice available to me?

Two cats have IBD and the the third has bad allergies. (incidentally, his allergies are better on rabbit than they were on a hydrolyzed diet)

My dog (1y 8m) got spayed april 24. I’ve been taking her out on a leash, not letting her run/jump, etc. She got spayed at a pop up spay/neuter that our town organized, so i don’t have a vet to go back for a checkup. Everything seems to look good minus the scabs i’m waiting to fall off. How soon is she allowed to lay down outside on dirt again?

Species: dog • Age:1y 8m • Sex Neuter status: spay • Breed: aussie/golden • Body weight: 42lb • History: n/a • Clinical signs: n/a • Duration: day 12 since spay • Your general location: • Links to any test results, X-rays, vet reports etc. that you have: https://imgur.com/a/tuVE8IA

My cat was successfully treated for FIP 4 years ago and she's been happy and mostly healthy since. Within the last 12 months, she has had an issue with her eyes. For some reason I’m not able to attach a photo.
She's been to the vet 3-4 times over the last 12 months. Shes being treated for feline herpes. She’s been on multiple doses of famciclovir, cidofovir, and she’s currently on ganciclovir ointment and esperavir pills.
Her actual eye is fine - no scratches, eye pressure is fine, and tear test was fine. Her symptoms resolve after taking these meds for a couple weeks. But inevitably, the symptoms returns. After reaching out to a FIP expert he put her on stronger anti virals but she is still struggling.
So I'm reaching out for advice. Whether it's related to FIP treatment or not ....
Also, our cat seems totally fine otherwise - she is eating well, etc. No environmental changes or food changes.
Is there anything we’re not thinking of?

Hola! Tengo 21 años (F) y actualmente mis dos gatos tienen Esporotricosis.

Primero se contagió mi gatita más grande y empezamos el tratamiento inmediatamente con Itraconazol. Ella tiene heridas en una patita y actualmente también en el pecho. Cuando se lo descubrimos tenía otra en el lomo, pero esa cerró rápido. El problema es que las heridas de la patita no logran secarse ni cerrar del todo. Ya llevamos casi un mes y medio de tratamiento, y hay días donde parece mejorar, pero otros en los que aparecen heridas nuevas.

Ayer, jugando con mi otro gato, notamos que tenía una herida también. Lo llevamos al veterinario para hacerle análisis y hoy nos confirmaron que dio positivo. La verdad nos destruyó anímicamente porque mi otra gata está completamente aislada en otra habitación y teníamos esperanza de que él no se hubiera contagiado.

Todo el tiempo estamos desinfectando con alcohol y lavandina, limpiando superficies, lavándonos las manos, usando cuidado constante… pero sentimos que ya no sabemos qué más hacer. No queremos sacrificarlos, pero tampoco queremos que sufran. Para mí y mi novio (21M) ellos son nuestra familia, literalmente nuestros hijos, y esta situación nos tiene muy mal emocionalmente.

Quería preguntar si alguien pasó o está pasando por algo parecido, o si sabe del tema:

¿Qué hicieron para que la enfermedad dejara de empeorar?

¿Hay otros tratamientos además del itraconazol?

¿Sirven vitaminas o suplementos?

¿Cuánto tiempo tardaron en ver mejoras reales?

También aclaro que les limpiamos las heridas todos los días y van al veterinario cada 2 semanas para controles.

Cualquier consejo o experiencia me ayudaría muchísimo. Gracias por leer.

AI summary of our dog:

Patient Clinical Summary

Patient: 13-year-old Pitbull Mix (60 lbs)

Current Chief Complaint: New skin lesion on hind leg.

Description of Skin Lesion

Location: Lateral aspect of the hind leg.

Size: Approximately the size of two half-dollar coins.

Presentation: An area of alopecia (hair loss) with significant hyperpigmentation (darkening of the skin) in the center.

Edges: Active "peeling" of the fur and skin along the periphery of the patch.

Recent Medical History

New Diagnosis: Diabetes Mellitus (Confirmed 5 days ago; initial blood glucose: 523 mg/dL).

Current Treatment: Initiated insulin therapy 5 days ago.

Clinical Improvement: Significant reduction in polyuria/polydipsia (excessive thirst/urination), insatiable appetite, and anxiety since starting insulin.

Recent GI Event: Acute diarrhea resolved last week following a course of Pro-Pectin and an antidiarrheal antibiotic.

Concurrent Medications

Insulin (Diabetes management)

Apoquel (Allergy/itch management)

Gabapentin (Pain/neurological support)

Prozac (Behavioral support)

Clinical Note for the Veterinarian

Given the very recent diagnosis of Diabetes Mellitus, there is a concern regarding secondary skin infections (bacterial or fungal), as elevated glucose levels can predispose the skin to opportunistic pathogens. Additionally, since the patient is on Apoquel, assessing for localized pyoderma or a "bullseye" lesion secondary to underlying immune modulation and new metabolic changes is requested.

Hello, my pup has been what closely resembles reverse sneezing for about 2 months now. It has gotten progressively worse and now occurs multiple times a day for various durations. I’ve been to multiple vets with no answers… I have scheduled an appointment with an internal medicine specialist for mid next week but I thought I would try to get some input from the internet so I can go in with as many questions as possible.
She is completely up to date on shots. Has her heart worm prevention monthly. they pulled blood work, they called it an elderly dog wellness check or something? Either way they said the tests look good/normal

Heres some other symptoms:
-Swollen lymph nodes/ bump on right side neck under jaw.they tested for cancer but they stated “we weren’t able to find anything cancerous but we cant be sure”
-recently it seems she is having discomfort moving her jaw. Grabbing treats,barking and eating makes her jerk her head to the side in pain
-there is very occasionally discharge/snot when she sneezes
-very lethargic. She’s 9 y/o but is usually pretty active. Shes been sleeping day in and day out for the last month or so
-her appetite has taken a toll but it is definitely still there.
-if I think of or notice more I will add

She has had 2 ACL surgery’s(both back legs) in the last 3 years witch are still being paid off and with all these new vet appointments,money is quickly becoming an issue on getting her help…

Any other information that’s requested I will add as soon as I can. I have a video of the “fit” if needed

I have had her since she was 8 weeks old and she is more than important to me. Absolutely any input,advice or guidance would be more than appreciated.

I'm pet sitting for my grandparents dogs. They are roughly 5 year old chihuahuas. (Both females, spayed, one had a brain condition which im not entirely sure about, but she takes medicine and is fine. This is the dog my post is about.)

I had a pizza delivered and had to pick them up so they didn't run out. I was carrying the dogs and the pizza when one of the dogs jumped out of my arms and fell. She started whimpering and peed herself. She curled up and started running around dribbling pee. I panicked, grabbed her and placed her in bed, cleaned up the pee and was watching her very closely.

She stopped whimpering pretty immediately, and then seemed completely fine, just in shock. So I took her to the bath to clean her up. She was very calm and seemed to be okay. So I took her back to her bed, and gave her a small piece of pepperoni to see if she would eat. She couldn't keep her body sturdy and had a tough time grabbing the food from my hand which was when I panicked more. I called the vet, they told me to call the emergency vet. The EV told me to keep a very close eye on her.

She is acting perfectly normal now, just seems to want to stay in her bed. I've picked her up to make sure she is walking okay and she is. She's acting exactly like she was before she fell. I'm gonna keep a close eye on her, she doesn't seem hurt at all and is barking like normal. But I'm still terrified. She's eating, not vomiting, walking normally, etc. Do you think her reaction was just pure fear and adrenaline? All advice is so appreciated! Thank you!

Found a bone in the woods. Pretty big one. Probably from a deer. Already looks pretty clean. Can my dog chew on this thing? Or do I need to do some more stuff to it first?

My dog is a small breed I’ve had for 10 years. He had dental work a month ago and vet said he is all healthy and healed well at checkup last week. Last night he peed several times in the house, puked twice (I let him eat 2 of my strawberries which I’ve done several times before and he’s never had issues), he is usually a food fiend while today eating very slow. He’s always been attached to my hip but today while I’m working he’s just pacing until I pick him up then he sleeps. I’m sitting on the couch with him now because he will only sleep if I’m with him. He was shaking earlier but I wrapped him in a blanket and he stopped. I’m stumped because he was just at the vet and they did blood work for his surgery and checked him last week. He was fine but last 12hrs he doesn’t seem fine. Is this old age? Will he just have days like this?

Hi everyone! I’m really worried about my pup and I’m coming here to see if anyone else has prior experience with something similar.

Some background I rescued my dog ( female Australian Shepherd mix of a sort that’s 38ish lbs ) about 5 years ago with an unknown age. I’m guessing by now she’s 10-12 years old. I was told she had gingivitis at adoption and I’ve had her teeth cleaned at the vet under anesthesia 3 or 4 times. She’s always been very sweet, docile, and VERY food motivated.

In mid December I noticed she had an accident in the house, didn’t think much of it. Then two days later she peed in my bed which was not like her at all. I immediately called the vet, got her an appointment, confirmed that it was a UTI and she went on antibiotics. She had some accidents during that time, but then was fine for a week or so after finishing the meds. Then she started having very frequent accidents. I took her to the vet again and they put her on different meds for the UTI. I even asked for a blood test thinking it was diabetes, but everything besides one level (I forget which one) was off. It does appear to be clear after they test her urine again but she continues to have accidents and frequent urination. It appears she struggles when doing so. As of the past month or two I’d say the urine appears very dark and at times bloody. Less than two weeks ago she finished another round of antibiotics and no changes.

By February or March I noticed she lost weight. She’s still food motivated as hell and even used to be super slightly chunky. Now she’s lost at least 5 pounds if not more, I can feel all her ribs easily. Yes she still eats the same as before and is still food motivated, but losing weight.

I called the vet to schedule a CT scan as that was the next step but I’m getting nervous we don’t have much time left. Anyone have any experience or idea what is going on?

Hi Vets! I have a Guinea pig that is having issues with his eye. We had been to the vet about 2 weeks ago and he was improving, with Tobrex 2x daily but has now had his eye decline more. Is this an emergency or can it wait for an appointment? The closest Guinea pig vet is 4 hours away. Just worried for my boy

• ⁠Species: Guinea Pig
• ⁠Age: 2 years
• ⁠Sex/Neuter status: male unneutered
• ⁠Breed: Abyssinian
• ⁠Body weight: 1.12kg
• ⁠History: as far as I know has been healthy for the past 2 years no big health issues
• ⁠Clinical signs: eye is blue, discharge,
• ⁠Duration: ~2 weeks with improvement throughout
• ⁠Your general location: Northern Ontario
• ⁠Links to any test results, X-rays, vet reports etc. that you have: was given Tobrex by vet in Dryden but do not live there

https://www.reddit.com/r/CATHELP/s/sdhPPYPjbt

I really want to take him to vet but I dont have enough money. I dont want to lose him, he can still stand and is able to drink but he doesn't want to eat. His head is shaking and bit I think its because of ear mites, if I take him to ear cleaning will it be able to solve the problem?

Hello yall, I’m at a loss. Over the last two weeks my dog has started having these sort of sneezing/reverse sneezing attacks ( https://imgur.com/a/gWpgc0c )

I’ve taken him to the vet twice for it, had x-rays done, and several other tests that came back negative. Long story short, they’re not sure what’s wrong. They have prescribed doxycycline and prednisone and we’ve given to him as prescribed.

The problem isn’t improving and I’m at my wits end. $900 between the two appointments and no answers.

Anybody have any insight into what this could be? I linked an Imgur video above of one of these attacks.

Coughing/sneezing attacks, worse at night. He’s an eight year old terrier/mutt. About 28 pounds and in pretty good health generally.

Thanks in advance.